When you put the word “highlights” in the name of a trip, you better be confident that it lives up to the hype. This trip does. Across 30 epic days, you’ll go round-trip to Cape Town via Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia — a new spin on one of our most popular routes — taking comfortable touring vehicles as well as staying in a mix of hotels and campsites for a well-rounded experience. Wildlife sightings and cultural moments come standard here — everything from searching for the "big five" in national parks to enjoying meals with local families. You’ve got memories made for a lifetime.

Itinerary

01

Day 1: Cape Town

Arrive at any time.There are no planned activities until an evening welcome meeting.

02

Day 2: Cape Town

Enjoy a full day in Cape Town with the option to visit Table Mountain, choose to explore Cape Point, or embark on a wine tour around Stellenbosch. In the evening, opt to join your group for meal at one of Cape Town's many great restaurants.

03

Day 3: Cape Town/Johannesburg

Take a short flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg. In the afternoon, travel to Soweto for a bicycle tour and learn more about its important history and significant role in bringing the issues of segregation to the forefront.

04

Day 4: Johannesburg/Hazyview

Take the Panorama Route into the Kruger National Park area. In the evening, enjoy a traditional dinner and dance experience.Take the scenic route between Johannesburg and the Greater Kruger Area.
Later, enjoy a traditional dinner and dance, learning more about the local culture. Opt to go for a swim or sit by a fire in the evening.

05

Day 5: Kruger National Park

Enjoy a full day wildlife safari drive in the Kruger NP (own vehicle). Keep an eye out for elephants, lions, rhinos, leopards, and buffalo—Africa's famed Big Five.Opt for a wildlife safari drive in an open safari vehicle.

06

Day 6: Hazyview/Letaba Ranch

Head north to the Letaba Ranch, for a guided nature walk along the Great Letaba River.Unfenced from the Kruger National Park, Letaba Ranch is known for its large herds of giraffe, elephant and buffalo. At night, listen to the sounds of the animals as they move along the banks of the river, and through the camp.

07

Day 7: Greater Kruger Park/Morning Sun Nature Reserve

Opt for a morning safari drive, or soak up the atmosphere in the camp, before traveling to the next lodge, in the Morning Sun Nature Reserve. Free afternoon to relax by the pool, or opt to take one of the hikes in the surrounding Soutpansberg Mountains.

08

Day 8: Morning Sun NR/Great Zimbabwe Monument Area

Get an earlier start and cross the border into Zimbabwe. Continue on to the Great Zimbabwe Monument.

09

Day 9: Great Zimbabwe Monument Area/Matobo National Park

Start the day with a visit to the Great Zimbabwe National Monument, Africa's most significant ruins site south of Cairo. Learn the history of the ruins and climb to the citadel for a view over the site. Continue on to Matobo National Park.

10

Day 10: Matobo National Park

Wake up early and opt to explore ancient cave paintings, visit the grave of Rhodes, hike the unique and stunning landscape, or hang out by the pool. In the afternoon, enjoy an included rhino walk, with the opportunity to get up close and personal with this endangered species.

11

Day 11: Matobo National Park/Hwange National Park

Travel to Hwange National Park for an opportunity to spot more wildlife. Opt to enjoy an evening wildlife safari drive in a safari vehicle.

12

Day 12: Hwange National Park/Victoria Falls

Continue on to Victoria Falls. Marvel at the spectacular falls from the Zimbabwean side, then enjoy free time in the afternoon to explore further.

13

Day 13: Victoria Falls

Spend the day exploring your beautiful surroundings. Opt to visit Victoria Falls, go whitewater rafting, or take a helicopter flight over the falls. The town of Victoria Falls is a great base to see both natural wonders and take part in some exciting activities. Get up close (and wet from the spray) while awing at the immense Victoria Falls, raft the whitewater of the mighty Zambezi, and for the more adventurous, bungee jump with Victoria Falls in view.

Today, new travellers may join you for the rest of your adventure. You are welcome to join them at a group meeting this evening, followed by an optional dinner.

14

Day 14: Victoria Falls/Kasane

Cross the border into Botswana, and stay in Kasane, just outside of Chobe NP. Try to spot the elephants, crocodiles, and hippos this region is famous for during an optional sundowner cruise or photo river safari.Drive to the border and cross from Zimbabwe into Botswana. Continue to the Kasane area, outside the gates of Chobe National Park, home to the largest elephant population in Southern Africa.

Opt to check out one of Botswana's national parks and its thousands of resident elephants, crocodiles, and hippos on a sunset boat cruise on the Chobe River.

There are options here for a casual cruise to enjoy the scenery with a cocktail or a photo safari by boat, with the opportunity to capture some great shots with instruction, a professional camera, and zoom lens. Evening is a great time to be on the river.

15

Day 15: Kasane/Nata

Opt to rise early for a sunrise safari on the Chobe River. Travel to Nata. Opt for a bush walk or sunset wildlife safari drive in the area. Watch elephants drink from the camp's watering hole at night.

16

Day 16: Nata/Maun

Prepare for a 1-night/2-day journey into the delta. Opt to take a scenic flight over the delta.Travel to Maun, the biggest town in the Okavango Delta area, pick up any supplies needed, and prepare for the journey into the Okavango Delta.

In the evening, watch a traditional dance group performance on the poolside terrace.

17

Day 17: Okavango Delta

Enjoy wildlife walks, traditional mokoro excursions, and birding. Learn the ways of the bush from the local polers.The excursion begins with a drive in customized safari vehicles for about 1-2 hrs to the "dock" to board a mokoro (a dugout canoe) that takes us deep into the delta. After a 1-2 hrs in the mokoro, arrive to the basic bush camp.

18

Day 18: Maun/Kalahari Desert

Traverse the Kalahari Desert. Learn fascinating survival skills of the local San Bushmen on an optional walk and choose to enjoy a traditional bushmen dance in the evening.Enjoy one last sunrise in the delta before travelling back to Maun by mokoro. Travel along the northern portions of the Kalahari Desert throughout the day – this is a severely arid and barren landscape, though very beautiful.

Arrive in the late afternoon and camp close to Ghanzi. Opt for a “bushman walk” and dance. Enjoy a traditional local meal before settling in for the night.

19

Day 19: Kalahari Desert/Windhoek

Travel to Windhoek, the German-influenced capital city of Namibia.Today, new travellers may join you for the rest of your adventure. You are welcome to join them at a group meeting this evening, followed by an optional dinner.

20

Day 20: Windhoek/Etosha National Park

Visit the G Adventures supported Penduka Village Restaurant & Shop, just outside of Windhoek, to pick up a tasty packed lunch, then continue up to Etosha National Park. Enjoy an afternoon wildlife safari drive in our touring vehicle, then opt to explore more on an open vehicle night drive.Leave Windhoek and head north through the Namibian countryside to Etosha National Park.

Visit Etosha National Park on a wildlife safari drive in our touring vehicle. Keep an eye out for lions, giraffes, elephants, rhinos, and antelopes.

After sunset, some animals may head to the watering holes near the campground.

Opt to head out for more wildlife safari drives in an open safari vehicle to make the most of your time here.

21

Day 21: Etosha National Park

Enjoy another wildlife safari drive in our touring vehicle and keep your eyes peeled for some of the famous wildlife.

22

Day 22: Etosha National Park/Swakopmund

Drive to the historical city of Swakopmund. Watch the beautiful desert landscape go by en route to western Namibia.

Spend two nights in the area exploring this historical town or trying some of the numerous activities available, such as sandboarding or a skydiving.

Day 23: Swakopmund

Spend a day exploring all the area has to offer. Optional activities include sandboarding, skydiving, and a township tour.

24

Day 24: Swakopmund/Namib Desert

Travel into the beautiful Namib Desert, stopping at Walvis Bay on the way.Get a real feel for the Namib Desert as we spend hours crossing this empty region.

En route, take a coffee break in Solitaire, a mystical village consisting of a filling station, a general dealer/coffee shop, and a small mechanical workshop. Drive through Walvis Bay, the only town on the Namibian coastline that boasts a deep sea harbor.

Arrive in the area in the late afternoon, where the towering red sand dunes of Sossusvlei form the gateway into the Namib Desert.

25

Day 25: Namib Desert

Visit Sossusvlei Dunes and Sesriem Canyon. Opt to climb up breathtaking Dune 45.Enjoy a visit to Sossusvlei, a clay pan enclosed by the world's largest sand dunes, up to 300m (984 ft) high. Here, use some free time to enjoy the sand dunes on your own. Visit the Sesriem Canyon, a small canyon typical of the area.

26

Day 26: Namib Desert/Fish River Canyon

Continue on to the Fish River Canyon area. Opt to relax in the hotel's pool while enjoying the beautiful scenery

27

Day 27: Fish River Canyon/Orange River

Visit Fish River Canyon, the largest canyon in Africa, and take in its majestic beauty. Continue on to the banks of the Orange River with time to swim or just relax. Enjoy the beautiful scenery in this part of the country.

28

Day 28: Orange River/Lambert's Bay

Cross the border into South Africa and continue down the coast to Lambert's Bay, stopping along the way. Opt to visit Bird Island or stroll through this charming town.We head towards the coast again and on to Lambert's Bay, a picturesque town on the west coast of South Africa.

In the afternoon, opt to visit the well known Bird Island where you can find more than 25,000 blue-eyed gannets at certain times of the year. Penguins also gather on this island for breeding between August and October.

Opt to stroll through this lovely town, visiting unique artisan shops and boutiques.

29

Day 29: Lambert's Bay/Cape Town

Continue on the last stretch of the trip to lovely Cape Town. Stop at the G Adventures supported !Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Centre along the way, then get ready to explore the vibrant streets of this scenic coastal city.While travelling towards Cape Town, through Namaqualand, keep an eye out for fields of Namaqualand daisies (in season August and September).

Cape Town has many different options should you book extra time to explore after the tour.

Visit Table Mountain, explore Cape Point (Cape of Good Hope), or join a wine tour in and around Stellenbosch (45 min drive). Visit the old French Huguenot town of Franschoek and surroundings (1 hr drive). For the truly adventurous, try skydiving, abseiling, or even cage diving, for a close encounter with the great white sharks.

Opt to wander through the city centre, which has some of the oldest buildings and gardens in South Africa (Botanical Gardens and Parliament Gardens), or visit the Cultural Historical Museum, Planetarium, and numerous other small museums and theaters.

30

Day 30: Cape Town

Depart at any time. We highly recommend booking post-accommodation to fully enjoy this city.

*Free within inclusive minutes package on mobile otherwise standard rates apply. Many of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on www.statravel.co.uk are financially protected by the ATOL scheme under Air Travel Organisers’ License (ATOL) number 3206. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. Therefore, please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate. Book with Confidence. We are a member of ABTA which means you have the benefit of ABTA's assistance and Code of Conduct. We provide financial protection for your money when you buy a package holiday. If you buy other travel arrangements such as accommodation only this protection doesn't apply. For the latest travel advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, click here.